Machine for cutting green corn from the ear.



No. 722,874.' N PATENTED MAR. 1'7, 1903. J. C. MOINTYRE.

MACHINE POR CUTTING GREEN CORN FROM THE EAR.

APPLICATION FILED DB0. 29, 1900. No MODEL; v 2 SHEETS-sum1,

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J l J l' c PATENTED MAR. 17, 1'90'3.

J. C. MOINTYRE. MACHINE FOR CUTTING GREEN CORN FROM THE EAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1900.

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, E 4 MM E fw E .k D 0. Y W. o f I UNITED STATES PAT-ENT Ormea.

JOHN C. MCINTYRE, OF HOOPESTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SPRAGUE CAN- NINGMACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION.

MACHINE FOR CUTTINGv GREIN CORN FROIVI THE EAFL .SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent Navaasvc, dated March i7, 1903. Application ledDecember 29 1900. Serial No. 41,524. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: ism. This head is provided with an opening Beit known that I, JOHN C. MCINTYRE, in its center, through which the earsare fed 55 a citizen of the United States, residing at axially bytoothed feed or spur wheels B.

Hoopeston, in the county of Vermilion and Four of these wheels arearranged equidis- State of Illinois, have invented new and usetantAaround the path of the ears of corn, and ful Improvements in Machinesfor Cutting each wheel is secured to the inner end of a Green Corn fromthe Cob, of which the folfeed-shaft b, which is arranged on the front 6olowing is a specication. side of the supporting-head and tangentiallyThis invention relates to green-corn-cutwith reference to the axisthereof. Each feedlo ting machines in which the ears of corn are shaft his journaled in a bearing c, formed on fed between curved cutters, whichcut the the inner arm of a rock-lever C, which is pivkernels from thecob and in which the feed oted on the head, so as to swing transversely.65 mechanism and cutters are automatically ad- Each of the rock-leversis pivoted on a boss a, j usted to the different sizes of ears which areformed on the supporting-head, and the outer being operated upon. Amachine of this arms c'l of the several rock-levers are looselycharacter is shown and described in Letters connected by bolts c2 withan oscillating split Patentof theUnited StatesNo. 256,926, dated ring orsegment D. This ring is guided in 7o April 25, 1882. theoutwardly-projecting.arms at' of the suprIhe objects of this inventionare to proporting-head, so as to turn concentrically zo vide meanswhereby the cutters are retained with the path of the ears of corn. Asthe, in an approximately concentric position with ears of corn passbetween the feed-wheels the reference to the corn which is being cut inlatter are spread or expanded more or less, 75 all positions of thevcutters, to provide means according to the diameter of the ears of corn.whereby the throw of the cutters may be The rock-levers are caused toturn in unireadily adjusted to suit dierent sizes of corn, son by meansof the ring D, connected with to provide simple means for detaching thethe outer arms-of the rock-levers. The forcutters from the machine forsharpening or ward movement of the ring D is produced 8o repairing thesame, and Vto improve the maby the ears of corn passing between thefeedchine in other respects. wheels, and when the ears of corn clear the3o In the accompanying drawings, consisting same the ring is Vmovedbackwardly by a of two sheets, Figure l is a front elevation, spring D',which connects the ring with the partly in section, of the front head ofa cornsupporting-head or some other stationary 85 cutter embodying myimprovements and part of the frame, thereby causing the feedshowing thecutter and feed mechanism in wheels and other parts mounted on the innerits contracted position. Fig. 2 is a sectional arms of the rock-leversto expand and conrear elevation of the same on a reduced scale. tractuniformly. Each of the feed-wheels is Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2, showing the turned in the proper direction for feeding the 9o cutterand feed mechanism expanded. Fig. ears of corn forwardly through themachine 4 is a transverse section in line 4.4, Fig. l. by a longitudinaldriving-shaft E, which is 4o Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectioninline journalednear its front end in one of the 5 5, Fig. 2, showingthe journalof one of the bosses-a andis providedat its front end withadriving-shafts and the support of one of the bevel gear-wheel e, whichmeshes with acorre- 9 5l cutter-bars. Fig. 6 is a similar section inspending gear-Wheel c'on the outerend of the line 6 6, Fig. 2, showingthe means for conadjacent feed-wheel shaft b. The drivingnecting one ofthe presser-bars to the conshafts E of the several feed-wheels may benecting ring or segment and also adjacent turned simultaneously in themanner departs. scribedin the Letters Patent referred to orin loo Likeletters of reference refer to like parts anyother suitable way. in theseveral iigures. F represents gages which are mounted on 5o A representsthe transverse front head of the rock-arms adjacent to the outer side ofthe machine, which forms a part of the stathe feed-wheels land which areadapted to tionary frame of the machine and which supregulate the depthof cut of the knives or cutports the corn feeding and cutting mechantersas they pass through the kernels of corn l ing-head.

on the cob. Each of these gages is secured to the inner arm of theadjacent rock-lever, so as to be capable of transverse adjustmentthereon by means of screwsf passing through transverse slots f' in thegage and entering threaded openings in the rock-arm. The front end ofeach gage is curved or inclined outwardly, so that the several gagestogether form an outwardly-flaring throat, which facilitates theentrance of the ears of corn between the same. As the ears of corn arefed forwardly by the feed-wheels the outer ends of the kernels thereofengage with the gages and spread the same, together with the feedwheelsand the inner larms of the levers supporting the same. The gages are soadjusted that the teeth of ,the feed-wheels project sufficiently beyondthe inner side or face of the gages that said teeth pass through thekernels and partly embed themselves in the cob of the ear of corn,thereby permitting the feed-wheels to obtain a firm grip upon the cornfor feeding the same positively forward.

G represents the knives, blades, or cutters whereby the kernels are cutfrom the cob of corn and which are curved or crescentshaped. ranged onebehind the other, the two cutters of each pair having their concavesides facing each other, and the cutters of one pair being arrangedsubstantially at right angles to the cutters of the other pair, so thatthe.

several cutters together form practically a continuous annular orcircular cutter, as shown inl Figs. l, 2, and 3. The several cutters arearranged in rear of the feed-wheels, and each cutter is arranged withits central portion'in line with the space between the face of thecorresponding gage and the end of the inner teeth of thefeed-wheel,which causes the cutters to cut the kernels of corn betweenthe crown or top of the kernels and the root or base thereof.

H represents cutter-bars which support the cutters and which arearranged equidistant and substantially radial on the rear side of thesupporting-head. The cutter-bars are four in number, and each barcarries one of the cutters at its inner end. VThe middle part of eachcutter-bar is provided with a socket h, which receives a pivot h',consisting, preferably, of a roller or sleeve mounted on the adjacentdriving-shaft in rear of the support- The cutter-bar is confined uponthe pivot h by a bracket h2, which is secured to the rear side of thesupporting-head and which embraces the driving-shaft in rear of thepivot h.

The outer ends of the cutter-bars are connected with theoscillating'ring D in such manner that when the ring is moved by theears of corn passing between the feed-wheels and the gages on the innerarms of the rocklevers the cutter-bars are also moved in the samedirection, so that the cutters are expanded and contractedsimultaneously with Vrying the feed-wheels and gages.

Two pairs of these cutters are ary the feed-wheels and gages. As shownin the drawings, the outward or expanding movement of the cutter isproduced by a presserbar I, secured at its inner end to the connecting-ring D and provided at its outer end with an adjusting-screw t', whichbears against one side of the cutter-bar at the outerend thereof. As thering is turned forwardly by the ears of corn passing between thefeed-wheels and gages, the screws i by pressing against the outer endsof the cutter-bars turn the latter in the same direction as therock-levers car- The cutter-bars are held yielding turned in thedirection for contracting the cutters by springs J, secured to thesupporting-head and bearing against pins or studs j on the outer ends ofthe cutter-bars, as shown in Figs. l and 4. By this means the cuttersare separated positively when an ear of corn passes between thefeed-wheels; but the latter are permitted to contract Vand grasp thenext following ear while the cutters are still expanded and heldyieldingly in cutting position against the previous ear which has passedthe feed-wheels. It will thus be seen that the ears of cornare centeredupon passing between the gages F, and the latter are spread more orless, according to the diameter of the ears of corn,whereby the cuttersin rear of the gages are moved relatively to the ears of corn throughthe medium of the intermediate mechanism, which transmits the lateralmovement of the gages to the cutters, whereby the kernels are cutproperly from ears of corn of different diameters.

When the machine is in operation, the position of the cutters iscontrolled principally by the position of the gages which bear againstthe outer ends of the kernels of the ear of corn as the latter passesbetween the gages, and in order to vary the depth of cut according tothe length of the kernels of corn the position of the cutters relativelyto the gages may be shifted, as required. This is eected by turning theadj usting-screws 'L' on the presser-bars forward or backward until thecutters stand in the desired position with reference to the gages. Ifthe cutters are adjusted outwardly so as to be more nearly in line withthe face of the gages, then the cutters will produce a shallow cut inthe kernels of corn,while if the cutters are adjusted so that they aremoved a considerable distance inwardly from the face of the gages thecutters willcut the kernels of corn comparatively deep or nearer thebase of the kernels.

On ears of corn of comparatively small diameter the kernels are usuallyshort, while on ears-of corn of large diameter the kernels are longer.For this reason the adjustingscrews are arranged to bear against thecutterbars at a greater distance from the fulcrum thereof than thedistance from the fulcrum of the rock-levers which carry the gages tothe point of connection between lthe rock-leversand the connecting-ringD. By this IIO IZO

on ears of small diameter to produce a deeper cut in the kernels of earsof larger diameter, because the cutters do not expand the same extent ofthe gages. By shi f ting the presserbars I inwardly or outwardly, sothat the screws 7l bear against the cutter-bars at a point nearer thefulcra thereof or more remote therefrom, the relative lateral movementof the cutters with reference to the gages can be adjusted according:rto the variation which exists in the diameter of the ears of corn whichare to be cut. By adjusting the presser-bars inwardly the screws tthereof bear against the cutter-bars nearer the fulcra thereof, whichcauses the throw of the cutters to be increased, while upon adjustingthe presser-bars so that the screws c' bear against the cutter-barsfarther away from the fulcra of the latter the throw of the cutters willbe reduced. The means for adjnstably connecting each presser-bar withthe connecting-ring consist of a guide-block lo, secured to theconnecting-ring and provided with a substantially radial guidewayk,which receives one of the presser-bars, and a clampin g-screw bolt k2,arranged in the guide-block and ring and passing through a longitudinalslot 7c3 in the presser-bar.

In the machines of this type as heretofore constructed the bars orlevers supporting the cuttersturn ed on fixed pivots, and the cutterswere curved so as to properly cut the kernels from the smallest ears ofcorn. As the cutters were expandedby the passage of a larger ear of cornbetween the same the outer or free ends of the curved cutter would bethrown farther away from the ear than the inner or attached endsthereof, which caused the cutters to produce an eccentric cut on thekernels of corn and limit the size of corn which it was possible to cutproperly with the machine. In order to increase the range of the cuttersand permit the cutting of corn of the largest diameter as well as cornof small diameter, the present machine is provided with compensatingmeans which causes the cutters to be moved lengthwise at the same timethat they are moved laterally, thereby avoiding the tendency of thecutters to produce an eccentric cut on the corn. This longitudinalmovement `of the cutters is eifected by bolts or projections L, arrangedon the outer parts of the cutter-bars and engaging withtangentially-slotted guides or ways Z in the arms of thesupporting-head. This movement of the cuttprbars is permitted byelongating the sockets h of the bars radially, as shown in Figs. 2 and3. The inclination'of the guides Z is so determined that when thecutter-bars are turned forward or in the direction for expanding thecutters they are also moved outwardly lengthwise on their pivots h bythe inclined gudeways Z, whereby Ithe cutters are retained approximatelyconcentric with the corn which is being cut in all positions of thecutters, thereby permitting corn of much greater diameter to be properlycut than has been possible in the machines as heretofore constructled.VIn Fig. 2 the cutters are shown in their innermost or contractedposition, in which position they overlap one another considerably andare capable of cutting the kernels from the smallest corn which isusually fed to the cutters, while in Fig. 3 the cutters are shown in theexpanded position which they occupy when large ears of corn are fed tothe cutters. It will thus be seen that in all positions of thecutters,.whether expanded or contracted, the cutters are always arrangedapproximately concentric to the ear of corn which is being cut, therebyproducing a more uniform cutting of the kernels of corn.

The pivotal support of the cutter-bars is arranged parallel with thepath of the ears of corn, and the cutter-bars have a combined turningand sliding movement on these supports at right angles to the path ofthe corn while adapting the cutters to different sizes of corn,wherebythe cutters are always maintained in parallelism with the path of thecorn, and the edges of the cutters are always retained in the mosteffective position,whether expanded or contracted.

In order to permit of conveniently removing the cutter-bars from themachine for sharpening the cutters without dismembering the machine, thesocket h of each cutterbar is open at its inner end and each guideway Zis open at its outer end. By thus constructing the sockets h andguideways leach of the cutter-bars can be easily removed from themachine by shifting the same outwardly and laterally, so as to disengageits projection L from the guideway l and its socket h from the pivot h',and by the reverse operation the cutter-bar can be readily replaced inthe machine.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with the cutters which arearranged around the path of the corn to be out, of pivoted cutter-barscarrying the cutters at their inner ends, rock-levers provided at theirinner ends with gages which are adapted to be engaged by the corn to becut, an oscillating ring or segment connecting the outer ends of therock-levers, and pressing devices which are mounted on said ring andwhich bear against the cutter-bars at a greater distance from theirfulcra than the distance IIO adjustable presser devices whereby themovement of said ring or segment is transmitted .to the cutter-bars andWhichpermit of adjustsegment by screws passing through the ring orsegment and through slots in the presserbars, and adj listing-screwsarranged.l on. said presser-bars and bearing against the cutterbars,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the cutters which are arranged around the pathof the corn to be cut, of pivoted cutter-bars carrying the cutters attheir inner ends, rock-levers provided at their inner ends with gageswhich are adapted to be engaged by the corn to be cut,y

an oscillating ring or segment connecting the outer ends of therock-arms, radial presserbars extending outwardly from said ring, ad-

justing-screws arranged on the presser-bars 1 and bearing against oneside of the cutterbars for moving the same forward, and springs wherebythe cutter-bars are moved backwardly, substantially as set forth. f

5. The combination with the cutters arranged around the path of the cornto be cut, of cutter-bars which carry said cutters, and means whereby acombined pivotal and longitudinal movement is imparted to saidcutter-bars, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the cutters arranged around the path of the cornto be cut, and the gages which are shifted by the corn on its way to thecutters, of cutter-bars which carry said cutters and which are capableof a combined pivotal and longitudinal movement, and intermediatemechanism whereby said cutter-bars are actuated by the movement of saidgages, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the supportinghead of a corn-cutter, of cuttersarranged around the path of the corn to be cut, cutterbars carrying thecutters at their inner ends and provided at their middle with elongatedsockets which receive pivots on the supporting-head,inclined guidesarranged on the supporting-head and receiving bolts or projections onthe outer ends of the cutter-bars, gages arranged around the path of thecorn and adapted to be moved by the corn on its way to the cutters,rock-levers carrying the gages, a ring or segment connecting saidlevers, and pressers mounted on the ring or segment and bearing againstthe outer ends of the cutter-bars, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the cutters arranged around the path of the cornto be cut, of cutter-bars carrying the cutters at their inner ends andprovided at their middle with elongated guide-sockets which openinwardly and receive thepivots thereof, and bolts or projectionsarranged on the outer ends of the cutter-bars andi engaging withinclined slotted guides which open outwardly, substanf tially as setforth. dially adjustably connected with said ring or f 10; Thecombination with the cutters arranged around the path of the corn to becut, of cutter-bars carrying the cutters at their 4 inner ends andprovided at their middle with elongated guide-sockets whichopen inwardlyand recei-vethe pivots thereof, bolts or projections arranged on theouter ends of the cutter-bars and engaging with inclined slotted guideswhichopen outwardly, gages adapted to be moved bythe corn on its waytothe cuttersrocklev,ers carrying the gages, a ring or segmentconnecting said rock-levers, and presser-barsarranged on the ring orsegment and bearing against theouter ends of the cutter-bars,substantially as set. forth'.

11. The combinationwith the cutters which are arranged around the pathof the corn to becut and the feed mechanism wherebyl the corn is movedlengthwise pastthe cutters, of cutter-bars which carry said-'cutters andwhich are capable of a combined pivotal and slid- .ing movement in aplanelat right angles to the path of the corn', whereby the cutters areadjustable to corn of different diameters and i always remainconcentricwith the corn, sub- I sta'ntially as set forth.

12. The combination with the cutters which are arrangedv around the pathof the corn to be cut and the feed mechanism whereby the corn isy movedlengthwise past the cutters, of cutter-bars which carry said cutters,pins or rollerswhich are arranged parallel to the path of the corn andupon 'which said' bars are-supported, and a shifting mechanism wherebysaid bars are turned and alsov moved lengthwise on said pins or rollersina plane at right angles to the path of the corn, substantially as setforth.

13. The combination with a head arranged substantially at right anglesto the line of feed of the corn to be cut, of cutter-bars mounted onsaid head so as to have a combined pivotal and` lengthwise movement onthe head, rock-levers carrying gages, connections between saidrock-levers and said cutter-bars for moving the latter pivotally, andmeans for causing the lengthwise movement of said cutter-bars,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 19th day of December, 1900.

JOHN C. MCINTYRE. Witnesses:

M. J. HAWKINS, P. H. GREENE.

IOO

